Accused transgender robber refused bail

Adam was born in New South Wales and was educated at the prestigious Scots College in Sydney.
He has worked both in Australia and United Kingdom for some of the largest newspapers in the two respective countries.
He joined APN as a senior journalist at The Chronicle in Toowoomba in 2010, before moving to APN’S Brisbane Newsdesk in 2013 where he covered politics and court.
Adam won a 2015 Queensland Clarion Award - the state's premier journalism awards - and was named 2011 APN Daily Reporter of...

A TRANSGENDER person who allegedly robbed an elderly woman and used her credit card to rack up significant charges has had his bid for freedom rejected.

Derek Sindon, 44, who also likes to be referred to as Shanika Sindon, has been charged with armed robbery and six fraud-related offences.

It is alleged Sindon, who is from Ipswich, along with a co-accused, followed an 84-year-old woman home after she had spent the morning shopping at Nundah before robbing her outside her home.

It is alleged they stole the woman's handbag and purse and used her credit card six times in three hours at nearby stores. The woman sustained a fractured eye socket, jaw, ribs and wrist in the attack earlier this year.

Crown prosecutor Amanda Robinson told the Brisbane Supreme Court yesterday Sindon had a lengthy criminal history and posed an unacceptable risk of reoffending if released on bail ahead of the next scheduled court appearance.

Ms Robinson told the court Sindon had an extensive criminal history in Queensland and New South Wales, which included numerous property offences and breaches of bail.

She said Sindon had previously faced a manslaughter charge stemming from breaking into an elderly woman's house and robbing her. During that robbery the woman had a heart attack and died.

Justice David Boddice agreed Sinton posed too much of a risk if released into the community and denied the application.

He said he did not believe Sindon would abide by bail conditions and the risk of reoffending was too great.

"There is no doubt the alleged armed robbery of an 84-year-old woman outside her house is particularly serious," he said.